Rebirth
by polarbearoncrack
Summary: Everyone in Las Noches knows that when Aizen needs something done, he sends Ulquiorra to do it for him. So when someone turns Grimmjow into a little girl, Ulquiorra faces a problem he's never encountered before: How to be an older brother.
1. Phase One: Las Noches

**Chapter One**

A dark figure stole into the halls of Las Noches, occasionally turning its head to see if anyone had spotted it. It shook its head at the thought. The body clock of the arrancars had adjusted to the artificial sky Aizen had installed within the dome. Unless the Octava Espada decided to continue his experiments, worrying over something like that was complete foolishness.

The moonlight shone through the lone window in the hall, and for a moment, it distracted the figure from its course. It was only during the night that Aizen allowed the natural beauty of Hueco Mundo to take over his beloved sunlight. A mist of light gave the vial the figure held a faint glimmer, snapping it out of its musings and reminding it of its mission. Deciding to shorten its travel time, it sonidoed to the hallway three corridors from where it had been.

Five sets of heavy double doors were on either side, facing each other like sentries in a palace. Their color matched the pristine walls of Las Noches, a pitiful attempt at disguising the layers of deception that constituted the foundation of the Hollow world. There were no markings on any of the ten, but only a fool would not know where this was. The Espada rooms.

Grinning, the figure strode towards the third room to his right. It was only a matter of time before it finally got the justice it deserved. Fortunately, the door had not been locked, and it saved the figure the trouble of finding another way of breaking into the room.

The room was surprisingly neat, with no litter or things scattered on the floor. A large desk was pressed against the right wall, decorated with a table lamp and a few pieces of paper. A couch sat opposite the desk and stared at a tiny coffee table cowering beneath its size. The rest of the room was barren, save for the king-sized bed that ruled the midsection of the area.

The figure moved in closer to inspect it. Fours posts stood on the corners of the frame, each with a bright blue curtain strapped down with a piece of cloth. A duvet of a similar shade hid the body on the bed, but a shock of teal hair poked through the top. The figure peeled back the blanket and smiled, resisting the sudden impulse to laugh. There, lying completely defenseless, was his target, the Sexta Espada. Without the psychotic grin, his face maintained a peace one would not normally associate with the battle hungry Sexta.

Careful not to make any noise, the figure uncorked the bottle and immediately recoiled as a sharp, bitter scent filled the room. Grimmjow stirred from his position, stilling the movements of his assailant momentarily. When it was certain that the blue-haired arrancar would not attack, it edged closer, pouring the liquid between the Sexta's partly opened lips, watching as the trickle of murky red disappeared.

It stared blankly at the Sexta before it was struck by a thought. It had succeeded. It had succeeded in getting revenge against Grimmjow. Strengthened by the accomplishment, it let loose its inhibitions and let out a peal of maniacal laughter, one that even Gin would cringe upon hearing. It paid no heed to the moving body beside it. It wouldn't matter anyway. By tomorrow, the Sexta would regret what he had done. He would mourn the day he allowed his violence to rule over him. Another bout of laughter escaped its lips.

Who was it kidding? There would be no tomorrow for Grimmjow Jaegerjacquez.

* * *

Szayel Aporro Granz rubbed the weariness from his eyes, exhausted from his sleepless night. He had not been planning on working the previous night, but after the laughter from the Grimmjow's room had woken him, he could no longer find sleep. Having the room next to the Sexta's had its disadvantages. If it had been somebody tamer, he would've asked them to tone their voices down. He did not want to approach the Sexta when he was in one of his moods—the sadist just might make him his next target, and he liked where his body parts were, thank you very much.

At least he was done sorting through his experiments, he thought as he gazed at his nearly spotless room. The floor was no longer hidden beneath masses of wires and tubes, although he could do nothing about the chemical stains decorating it. He sighed. Well, it was the best he could do. That is, until he found a better cleaning agent. Maybe a trip to the human world would provide him with something.

Ruffling his pink hair, he walked over to the massive cabinet he kept around and began to peruse through its content. Several of his inventions clattered on the ground, and he picked them up, grumbling about lack of space. These would usually be in his laboratory, but a few weeks ago, he seemed to have run out of space, however impossible that sounded. The first time he had seen his lab, he was sure it could hold an infinite amount of experiments. But apparently, it was no match for Szayel's productivity.

After he had gone through every box and bottle in the cabinet, he raised an eyebrow. That was strange. The one he was looking for didn't seem to be in there. That couldn't be right. He remembered putting it away after the meeting yesterday, just before he went out to lunch. It shouldn't have been difficult to locate, it was the only bottle with a skull and crossbones on it.

When several more searches proved futile, he gave up, storming out of his room in irritation. The arrancars who saw him coming scampered out of the way, giving the scientist a wide berth. It didn't amuse him now as it had all those times before. It wasn't like he was going to use them as test subjects anyway. He only liked to examine interesting objects and on occasion, his brother. He stopped in his tracks.

Yylfordt. Amber eyes narrowing, he picked up pace and nearly ran to the other Granz' room. There were only a few people in Hueco Mundo who would risk his wrath, and one of them was his older brother. Besides, no one but the two of them would even be interested in science. Why would anyone steal an experimental medicine anyway? He didn't even have the chance to test it yet. Yylfordt might have taken it to make a few adjustments, but Szayel Aporro Granz did not like it when people took his experiments without consent.

It wasn't long before he reached the hall where Yylfordt's room was located, but when he got there, he was nearly suffocated by a great big blond mass.

"Szayel!" came Yylfordt's usual ecstatic greeting, accompanied by, as the other arrancars put it, a 'glomp'. His annoyance immediately bloomed tenfold. He was not in the mood to deal with his brother's idiotic antics.

"Get off of me, aniki!" he growled, attempting to free himself from his sibling's embrace. When he managed to throw him off, he found himself looking at a pouting Yylfordt with a few fake tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. A low growl vibrated in his throat, but it didn't stop Yylfordt from continuing his hurt brother act.

"How could you do this to your most beloved aniki?!" he said, allowing a few of those crocodile tears to run their course and sniffling to punctuate his point. "Don't you love me anymore, little bro? Don't you remember how I fed you and took care of you and played with you when we were younger?"

"And how you forgot about me?" Szayel mumbled, too tired to play along. A wave of guilt washed over him when he saw Yylfordt's closed off expression. He shouldn't have said that. Yylfordt didn't mean any harm. Soon, the tension would mount to a height they wouldn't be able to overcome, and Szayel decided to break the silence before that happened.

"Where did you take it, baka aniki?" he snapped, hoping to revert his brother back to his comical self. It worked, Yylfordt giving him a cheerful grin, albeit accompanied by a puzzled glint in his eyes.

"Where did I take what?" he asked.

Szayel rolled his eyes. "The new project I was working on."

"I don't have it, Szayel," The younger Granz stared at him blankly before his words sunk in. Yylfordt didn't have it. He didn't have it. That only meant…

Before Szayel could explode, he felt a cold hand land on his shoulder. He was about to tell whoever it was to leave him when he noticed that the hand belonged to Ulquiorra. A pair of large emerald eyes bore into his.

"The meeting is about to start, Szayel Aporro," the Cuarta reminded him. His hand slid off Szayel's shoulder and went back to its usual residence in Ulquiorra's pocket.

The Octava decided to let loose his anger some other time. "Of course, Ulquiorra." When the other Espada left, Szayel turned his gaze back to his brother.

"It seems like your carelessness is rubbing off on me," he said, his own version of an apology. Yylfordt just gave him a smile. Without another word, he turned away and followed Ulquiorra to the meeting room.

* * *

Szayel slid into his chair just as Aizen and the other two shinigamis entered the room. Their leader took a seat on the throne at the head of the table, while his companions stood on either side of him. Szayel could never understand why Aizen-sama insisted on holding these meetings. They already had the girl he wanted, and no one was looking for her. They didn't discuss much battle strategies either, so why bother?

"Is everyone here?" Aizen looked around. His eyes stopped when they fell on the empty chair across Ulquiorra's. "Where is Grimmjow?" His question was directed at the people gathered. When no one responded, he focused on Szayel.

It wasn't that Szayel was afraid of Aizen-sama, of course not, it was just the way his eyes remained calculating despite the smile that unnerved Szayel. Frankly, he did not appreciate being on the receiving end of that gaze.

"Szayel, could you fetch your brother and ask him to bring Grimmjow here?" There was a slight edge in his tone, and Szayel obeyed without question, reaching the door in seven strides.

"The meeting's done already?" Yylfordt's surprise was evident. Szayel was grateful his brother loved to walk around the corridors near the meeting room, otherwise, he would have had to search the whole of Las Noches to find him.

"Grimmjow is not there," he said instead of replying to the question. "Aizen-sama wants you to get him."

"That's weird," Yylfordt said. "Grimmjow-sama _never_ misses the meetings."

Szayel shrugged. "When you find him, bring him to the meeting room."

Sighing, the blond nodded and proceeded to his master's bedroom.

* * *

Yylfordt was sure Grimmjow wouldn't miss the meeting on a whim. There had to be a reason why he wasn't there. He heaved a sigh. And if there _was_ a reason, he didn't know what Aizen-sama wanted him to do to Grimmjow to get him to come to the meeting. After all, Grimmjow was the Sexta Espada, and he wasn't strong enough to put up a fight against a member of Aizen's elite army. He was easily vice-captain rank in shinigami terms, but Grimmjow was as strong as a captain.

There were no lights in the Sexta's room when he got there, and Yylfordt suddenly had an unsettling feeling at the pit of his stomach. Although there weren't any windows in Grimmjow's room, he turned on the ceiling lights in the morning to keep him from feeling groggy.

He was convinced that Grimmjow wasn't in his room when movement from the bed indicated otherwise. He let out the breath he had been holding. So Grimmjow-sama had overslept, nothing to worry about. Getting on his nerves should wake him up straight away. With that in mind, the blond skipped to the four poster bed and peered into the covers.

For a moment, nothing moved. Yylfordt could only gape at the sight before him. This couldn't be happening. It wasn't even possible. What happened to his master?!

"Grimmjow-sama!"

* * *

**A/N: **Haha, I always thought of Yylfordt as an annoying older brother. Somehow, I think it suits him. Anyway, end of first chapter! Reviews and constructive criticisms are welcome. Thanks for reading!


	2. Family Tree

**Chapter Two**

The customary tea had been offered to everyone in the room before Aizen began his meeting. Szayel was aware that the man was slowing down the process by taking more frequent sips from his steaming mug, but chose not to say anything. Any reason to delay the inevitable drowsiness was welcome to the Octava. Besides, as soon as Yylfordt arrived, the atmosphere would crackle with energy. That was just how it was when Grimmjow was around. He might as well enjoy the relaxed ambivalence that rarely crossed their paths.

Szayel drew deeply from his cup, expelling his breath in a warm sigh. Everyone around him seemed to have done the same, although Aaroniero was casually pushing his tea toward Zommari. Szayel rolled his eyes. If he didn't want to drink it, he shouldn't have agreed to Tousen's offer. Declining wouldn't have hurt him. Szayel glanced at Aizen-sama through his peripheral and changed his mind. Perhaps the Noveno was taking precautions.

"Now," Aizen set aside his drink and placed his head in his hands, elbows propped up against the table. "You all know of the ryoka boy, Kurosaki Ichigo, who had invaded Soul Society just this summer, am I correct?" All of them nodded, memories of Ulquiorra's fight against the substitute shinigami resurfacing. The pathetic display of resistance against the Cuarta was enough to make Szayel cringe. What exactly did Aizen-sama see in that boy?

"Good," he said. "He hasn't made a move to rescue the girl as of yet, but be warned that at any moment this boy could—" A shout cut him off, an agitated ball bouncing off the walls of Las Noches, hitting everyone within its range.

"Grimmjow-sama!"

Nearly everyone in the room tensed. If Szayel were a dog, he knew his hackles would be rising at that moment. The anguished disbelief laced through the happy-go-lucky Yylfordt Granz's voice was not something one heard everyday. Only Aizen-sama did not seem bothered by what he heard, a small smile lounging in his lips.

Without warning, the door burst open, revealing a harassed-looking Yylfordt, his left arm wound carefully around a blue and white bundle. His face was pale, eyes darting around nervously at the gathered Espada. Finally though, he appeared to have reclaimed his senses and walked into the room, stopping in front of Aizen and kneeling in obeisance.

"Aizen-sama," he started, inclining his head to look into their leader's eyes. "Forgive my intrusion, but I fear something has happened to Grimmjow-sama." The bundle moved slightly, and everyone dropped their gazes onto it. Yylfordt's worried expression morphed into one of panic, and only released its tension when it ceased its squirming.

"What is it Yylfordt?" Aizen asked, though his eyes remained glued to the arrancar's package. Yylfordt's arm instinctively tightened around it, and stopped only when Aizen set his attention on him.

"I'm afraid Grimmjow-sama has—has—" Unable to choke out the words, the older Granz merely lifted his burden and placed it on the table, revealing the true nature of the object beyond the blue and white. No one spoke, no one moved. Szayel couldn't blame them. He could only stare at the sight before him in shock, refusing the revelation wearing down the walls of denial.

Despite Yylfordt's hurry in getting her to the meeting room, the little girl remained fast asleep, curtain of blue hair falling across her face and pooling on the table as her head tilted downwards. The remains of her Hollow mask was eerily alike to the Sexta's, but the softness of her features erased all traces of menace from the smile. She was entirely clad in white, from the long-sleeved dress that hid her feet even as she sat to the gloves that enclosed her hands, with not even a black sash to break the monotony. Silence engulfed the room. Nnoitra was the first to break it.

"What the hell?" He smiled, showing off his teeth. "You made a doll of a little girl that looks like Grimmjow? I didn't know you swung that way, Yylfordt! And all this time I thought that was Szayel's turf." He laughed even as both Granz glared at him.

"Do not make such foolish statements, Nnoitra," Harribel cut in before a fight could break out. Szayel unclenched his hands. No matter how much time he spent around the Quinta, there would never be a day when the lanky man wouldn't get on his nerves. Szayel shuddered as he recalled his proposition to him several years earlier. What madness had possessed him to extend his hand to Nnoitra after they had gotten rid of Neliel, he did not know, but he hoped it wouldn't come back to haunt him again.

"What did you say, Harribel?" The temperature dropped, and Szayel wondered if Harribel would deign to answer Nnoitra's challenge. The dark-skinned woman crossed her arms over her chest, voice muffled slightly by both her mask and her collar.

"It is obvious that the child Yylfordt is carrying is Grimmjow himself," she said, pointedly ignoring the malevolent smirk on Nnoitra's face. "That is why Yylfordt brought him here, is it not?" she addressed the Quince. Yylfordt merely nodded, perhaps bewildered by the fact that the third most powerful arrancar had just spoken to him.

The wall had collapsed, and Szayel had to keep himself from hyperventilating. His experimental drug had not only failed, but he had also turned Grimmjow into a small child. A small, _female_ child. His only hope of surviving now was if the Sexta had lost his memories as well. He gulped. After all he had done to terrorize the other arrancars, it seemed that he would finally pay the price. He could not trust himself to hope for the best.

Aizen was still staring at the sleeping child, smiling like there was nothing to worry about. Gin's smile however, was larger than usual. Szayel would not be surprised if he had opened his eyes as part of his pending punishment as well. Tousen remained impassive. If he could sense the Sexta's altered reiatsu, he did not show it.

"Do you know how this happened, Yylfordt?" Aizen asked, briefly looking at the blond before going back to the slumbering child. Yylfordt hesitated, eyes darting to his younger brother. Aizen did not miss the action. He faced the Octava.

"Szayel?" he prodded. Szayel pushed his glasses up, light reflecting off them and hiding his eyes. His heart beat wildly, but he dared not show his anxiety. Doing something like that would no doubt make him look guiltier than he actually was, and when it came to accusing the Octava of strange occurrences in Las Noches, the Espada had no restraints.

"It seems Grimmjow had been administered with one of my experimental drugs, Aizen-sama," he said. "Someone must have gone into his room and given it to him while he slept."

The Espada glanced at each other, the three shinigamis, then threw suspicious looks Szayel's way. Szayel felt his nervousness melt away, replaced by irritation, and gave them a glare. Honestly. Just because he had attempted to dissect Aaroniero one time did not mean he was going to do it to every Espada, especially one two ranks above his own and known for his sadistic endeavors. At least, not on his own. Aizen remained unreadable.

"I see," he said, subjecting Szayel to another stare. Szayel nearly fidgeted in his seat, amber eyes looking everywhere but at the brown-haired shinigami. He had never noticed how dull the meeting room was, with nothing but the Espada and the three former captains tracing it with splotches of colors. Even then, only him and Grimmjow had painted it with vivid pink and blue, alleviating the sentence of white and stealing a silhouette of life, even if it was a mere imitation of what they had lost. Now it was only him. Somehow, that saddened him.

"How exactly did this person get the drug?" Aizen asked. A faint blush crept up Szayel's cheeks. If he had been darker, it would have gone unnoticed, but as it was, everybody saw the red tinge spread across his face. He couldn't bear to look at the others.

"They stole it," Another silence descended upon the room, the occupants stunned at the admission.

"Yah mean they managed t' get pas' your security?" Gin inquired. Szayel nodded, head hung in shame. He was never going to live this down. Him, Szayel Aporro Granz, the Espada most notorious for his need of privacy, had been bested by someone who was most likely not even an Espada.

"Never mind that, Szayel," Aizen said. "What exactly does this drug do?"

"It kills you, Aizen-sama," he said, and immediately regretted it when he saw that he had renewed the others' suspicions. If he were someone else, he would be slamming his head against the table by now.

Thankfully, Yylfordt chose that moment to speak. "It's not like that, Aizen-sama," he said, wincing slightly when the stares turned to him. He went on, regardless. "It is a part of the Rebirth sequence."

"Rebirth sequence?" Aizen raised an eyebrow, presumably intrigued. Szayel was glad Yylfordt had shouldered the burden. He wasn't sure how long he was going to last under the pressure. Yylfordt nodded.

"It was the first drug developed for it," Yylfordt explained. "It hasn't been tested yet, and it was incomplete when it was stolen from Szayel's room."

"Ah, but you are avoiding my question, Yylfordt," Aizen's voice had hardened, and he now took in both the Granz siblings. "You as well, Szayel. What does this drug do?"

"It kills you," Szayel said again, taking over his older brother. "And then recycles your soul and reincarnates you." A stunned silence descended upon the room.

"You mean to say," Aizen said slowly, a smile on his face. "That you were attempting to create a serum for immortality?"

"Yes," The experiment was just a variation of his ability in his Resurreccion form, when he consumes his opponent from the inside. It was purely investigatory, though one that would no doubt enhance the arrancar's strength greatly.

Barragan scoffed. "Kids and their stupid ideas. You can never escape death, Szayel Aporro. I'm surprised you didn't figure that out, considering your intelligence." Szayel wanted to retort that his experiment was not escaping death, but going through it and being reborn into a new being, but chose not to. It would be too troublesome if Barragan thought he was being insolent. That was one argument he did not wish to get involved in.

"So, if that's the case, why did that happen to Grimmjow?" Starrk nodded to the girl, still surprisingly awake, disguising his lethargy in curiosity. Szayel shrugged.

"Like Yylfordt said, it hasn't been tested yet," he reminded the Primera. "If he _had_ been killed by the drug, there is a chance that he might not be reborn. And if he was, I do not know if it will be in the human world, in Hueco Mundo, or in Soul Society."

"Wait," Yammy said, eyebrows knitted in confusion. "So that really _is_ Grimmjow?"

"Yes, Yammy," Ulquiorra's emerald green eyes shot to his side, the rest of him unmoving. "That is indeed Grimmjow."

"Fascinating," Aizen murmured. He faced Szayel again. "Does he retain his memories?" Szayel could only shake his head.

"I do not know, Aizen-sama," No matter how many times he had already said it, he couldn't help but feel strange saying he did not know. Szayel Aporro Granz _always_ knew the answer to everything. This was the first time one of his own creations had robbed him of any answers.

It was at that moment that the newly transformed Grimmjow began to wake, one of her tiny hands rubbing sleep from her eyes just as a yawn escaped her lips. She opened her eyes, still the same shade of blue as it was before, green-blue eye-markings still present. When she noticed she wasn't alone, all traces of sleep left her, eyes scanning the surrounding crowd. She tilted her head to the side, as a curious child would, and looked at each of them in turn. She stopped on Aizen.

"Where am I?" she asked, voice small and soft, completely opposite of Grimmjow. Szayel wasn't sure how, but the light seemed to have switched around, shading Aizen-sama's face enough to make his usually mocking smile genuine. Baby Grimmjow unconsciously moved closer to him. Aizen reached out and put a hand on her head.

"You're in Las Noches," Aizen said softly, as a father would to a child. "Do you know your name, little one?"

She nodded, leaning closer to Aizen. Szayel was slightly disturbed by the scene before him. The real Grimmjow would never have given Aizen-sama the same amount of respect or interest as the child did. Watching this girl act the way Grimmjow never would while still retaining his distinctive bright blue hair and eyes sent chills down Szayel's spine. This was too much to bear.

"What is it?" Aizen stroked her hair. Little Grimmjow smiled up at him.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjacquez," she replied happily. Her gaze turned questioning. "Who are you?"

"My name is Aizen Sousuke," His smile grew warm. "I am your chichi-ue."

A shocked silence. Even Ulquiorra stopped drinking his tea, the most explicit reaction he had ever done in front of anyone.

He gestured for Gin and Tousen to come nearer, and they both obeyed, slipping away from their posts to stand right beside Aizen. Gently, he lifted Grimmjow from where she sat and set her upon his lap, pointing to his subordinates and designating them with a relationship to her, never mind that they did not resemble each other in the least.

"This is Gin," he nodded at Gin, who smiled in return. Grimmjow waved happily at him. Szayel's discomfort grew as Aizen went on. "He's your oji-san."

"And this is Kaname," Tousen did not react in any way, Grimmjow frowning slightly in wonder. "He is your oji-san, too. He is Gin oji-san's younger brother." Grimmjow nodded enthusiastically, while the Espada watched their leader warily. Szayel made a mental note to suggest brain examination to Aizen-sama without getting murdered.

"Chichi-ue, why don't Gin oji-san and Kaname oji-san look alike?" Grimmjow asked, scrutinizing the two men, as if trying to locate their similarities. Gin, unsurprisingly, decided to join in the 'fun'.

"That's because Kaname oji-san is my half-brother," Gin patted Tousen's shoulder. Tousen was once again non-responsive. Szayel thought that he was trying to keep Grimmjow pure by not adding more lies, but a pure child was an unlikely outcome when Ichimaru-sama was involved.

Grimmjow nodded at this, accepting Gin's explanation, though the frown from her lips didn't disappear. "Chichi-ue, if you're my family, then how come I don't remember you?"

Aizen laid a soothing hand on her head. "That's because you tripped and hit your head against a wall, Grimmjow-chan. Next time, you mustn't be so hasty, or else you might even forget your name." Every pair of eyes, including those that cannot see, cast him dubious glances. Szayel made sure to remember his earlier note. If Aizen-sama could come up with nothing but that excuse to cover up Grimmjow's lost memories, he really might have suffered extensive brain damage.

The crown of blue surveyed the other people present, sweeping the table in a whirlpool of teal. "Who are they?" The Espada made an unobtrusive move to sit up straighter, to compensate for their lack of involvement in Grimmjow's induction. Yylfordt stepped into the shadows of a nearby wall, careful not to attract attention to himself. Szayel rolled his eyes. If he knew his brother, he would coddle Grimmjow the second Aizen-sama let her out of his sight.

"They're your cousins," Everybody stiffened. Aizen didn't stop. Wrapping his arm around the child's waist, he pointed to each of them and resumed his genealogy lesson. "That is Starrk, he's Gin oji-san's oldest child." The Primera declared a heavy yawn and waved, closing his eyes to go back to sleep.

"He has four brothers, Nnoitra, Szayel, Yylfordt, and Aaroniero," Szayel nearly lost his breakfast. Related to Aaroniero? And _Nnoitra_? He could barely believe he was related to Yylfordt! Shaking his head at the irony, he dropped his chin onto his palm and listened to the rest of Aizen's demented speech.

"Harribel," The lone female Espada closed her eyes in response. "Zommari and Yammy are Kaname oji-san's children."

"Is that ojii-san?" Grimmjow asked, pointing to the huffing Barragan.

Aizen answered before the old man could launch into another tedious tirade. "Yes. Grimmjow-chan is very smart," he complimented, gazing at her fondly. A soft smile fell on Baby Grimmjow's lips.

"And now, here's the most important person in this room," Aizen said. It was only then that Szayel realized that Ulquiorra hadn't been introduced yet. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling that Aizen-sama's next words would unravel the threads that held together Hueco Mundo, the same ones he had loosened when he created the first arrancar.

"The most important person? More than you, chichi-ue?" She scanned the area once more, trying to locate a person formidable enough to face her 'father'. When she found no one, she turned her curious stare on Aizen, wondering what he had meant when he said those words.

The former fifth squad captain chuckled, amused by 'his' child's actions. With his index finger, he lifted her chin up and turned it to his left, where the Cuarta sat quietly, sipping his tea as if nothing was wrong. Szayel was starting to wonder if anything would ever get Ulquiorra to show some emotion. Apart from the brief respite in his actions earlier, he had gone on with his routine as he always had. The Octava wasn't even sure if he had heard Aizen-sama's words at all.

"Him," Grimmjow tilted her head.

"Him?" she asked. Aizen nodded. "Who is he, chichi-ue?"

"That is Ulquiorra Cifer," Gingerly, he lifted the child off his lap and sat her down on the table again. Her eyes remained on the pale man. Placing her hands on the pure marble, she crawled over to the Cuarta and studied him up close. He placed his cup on his saucer and looked at her in return.

"He is your onii-san."

Szayel waited for Hueco Mundo to implode

**

* * *

**

**A/N:** Haha, sorry for the rushed chapter! Anyway, I forgot to put in the translation for some of the words in the previous chapter, so here they are, along with this one's (most of you probably already know these, but I just wanted to include them in case someone didn't):

Baka- idiot

Aniki- older brother (I thought it would be strange to have Szayel refer to Yylfordt as 'onii-san'. It seems a bit too weak.)

Chichi-ue- father

Oji-san- uncle

Ojii-san- grandfather

Onii-san- older brother (a milder version of 'aniki')

Anyway, that's it for today! Hope you enjoy this one as well! Please, tell me what you think. Thank you!


	3. Selection

**Chapter Three**

In the time he had spent serving under Aizen-sama, Ulquiorra had never doubted his master's decisions on anything. The shinigami had proven himself time and again capable of handling any situation thrown at him. Even when he had sent Ulquiorra to the human world to assess the ryoka boy's skill, Aizen-sama had kept an open mind when Ulquiorra told him his observations. It was only natural that Aizen-sama would know what to do with the Sexta. He just never thought it would be dealt with in such a personal way.

Ulquiorra stared at the child in front of him, equally surprised at Aizen's latest announcement. His eyes glanced at the head of the table, then back to Little Grimmjow. He was used to Aizen-sama entrusting him with matters of significance, but now he failed to see what it was about the transformed Sexta that caught his master's attention. There was nothing a child could do in times of war, and the one that was about to commence held nothing but grief for the little girl.

Grimmjow stood up from her position, placing her palms on the table and pushing herself upwards. She nearly slipped a number of times from the excess fabric billowing about her feet, but she refused to accept Zommari's outstretched hand. Her eyes still glued to the Cuarta, she walked the few inches to the edge of the table and stopped. Another staring match ensued. Then, without warning, she threw herself off the table, landing on Ulquiorra's lap and clinging onto his uniform amidst the horrified gasps.

"Onii-chan!" she cried happily, hugging the green-eyed Arrancar tightly. In that brief moment of recklessness, Ulquiorra could've sworn he had seen the old Sexta once more, his lips set into that feral smile. Grimmjow's words began to register in his mind.

Had she just called him onii-_chan_?

The worried atmosphere from earlier dissipated. Snickers filled the room, the most prominent of which came from Gin who didn't bother exercising subtlety. The bolder ones like Nnoitra and Yammy didn't hide behind their hands, preferring to follow Gin's example and doubling over in laughter. Even Aizen's smile looked more amused than usual.

Ulquiorra sighed inwardly. He couldn't blame them. The butchered honorific Grimmjow had used wasn't something any sane arrancar attached to the Cuarta's name. He didn't mind the teasing he was sure to get after the meeting—Nnoitra had done that long enough to immunize him— but he did want to be left alone. That wasn't a likely option when the Quinta wanted to annoy him.

"Isn't that cute, Ulquiorra nii-chan?" Nnoitra flashed his Cheshire Cat grin. Ulquiorra looked at him with the same bland expression. The dark-haired man wasn't about to give up. "It looks like Grimmjow-chan likes you already! Be sure to take good care of her now!" He threw his head back and laughed, eclipsing the giggles that followed his statement. Grimmjow stared at Nnoitra, blinking at him with the same curious sapphire eyes.

"Nnoitra's right, Ulquiorra," With a start, everyone turned to Aizen. Gin's eyes fluttered open for a while, and Szayel looked absolutely terrified. Ulquiorra ignored him. The pink-haired scientist's thoughts were not something he wanted to know, although right now, any distraction from his obviously impending doom seemed like a blessing.

"I will be very busy for the next couple of weeks," Aizen continued. Grimmjow breathed a dejected sigh. Ulquiorra wondered what Aizen-sama found to do in Hueco Mundo. As far as he knew, the only forms of entertainment in the desert were killing, fighting, and more killing. Unless you were the Octava, of course. Or even the Noveno. Szayel found joy in his lab, while Aaroniero found joy in feasting on the lower arrancars. "So I expect you to take care of your imouto while I'm working."

"Really, chichi-ue?" Grimmjow looked overjoyed. She climbed back up the table and ran to Aizen, slipping off the edge and landing on his chest. Nevertheless, she gave him the biggest embrace she could and reached up to peck his cheek.

"Arigatou, chichi-ue!" To Ulquiorra's surprise, Aizen seemed to redden at the gesture. What was not surprising however, was ichimaru-sama looking like he had plans to extort Aizen-sama. The lead shinigami cleared his throat.

"You're welcome, Grimmjow-chan," His hand fell on top of the girl's head, eyes roaming the room. When they stopped at the Quince, Ulquiorra was sure Yylfordt would've had a heart attack, if his Hollow hole hadn't already deprived him of the organ. Aizen whispered something to Grimmjow, pointing at Yylfordt and waving his hands in a manner that made the older Granz appear more anxious. She nodded at whatever it was he said, and slid down from her seat, walking toward Yylfordt.

"Yylfordt," Aizen called, grabbing the attention of the Sexta's Fraccion before he got too distracted with the girl hugging his legs. The blond head jerked up.

"Y-yes?" he asked.

"Please take Grimmjow-chan to her room," Aizen nodded as he bowed, retreating to the doors a few steps away.

"Tha's right, Yylfordt-chan!" Gin piped in, bobbing his head. "Ya should reacquaint Grimm-chan with your friends!" At the blank expression he received, the silver-haired shinigami elaborated. "Shawlong, Nakeem, Edorad, and D-Roy, of course! Don' tell me you forgot about 'em." At the mention of his fellow Fraccion members, Yylfordt brightened and shuffled to the exit, albeit a bit faster.

"Oh, and Yylfordt?" Aizen called. The blond arrancar halted and faced him. "Kindly fetch Luppi for me. That is all." After a final bow, the older Granz escaped the meeting hall.

"Now then," Aizen turned to the Octava, the pink-haired scientist snapping to attention. "Do you know how long this will last?"

Szayel shook his head. "I'm afraid that is impossible to calculate, Aizen-sama. It could range from a day to months." He gulped. "There is also the probability that it will not wear off at all, and Grimmjow would remain a child forever."

Now Ulquiorra knew why Aizen-sama had called for Luppi. He had been Grimmjow's contender for the title of Sexta Espada, though Ulquiorra doubted he would be a suitable replacement for the teal-haired man. He had nearly died after receiving Grimmjow's cero at point-blank range, and if it hadn't been for the woman and her powers of rejection, the effeminate arrancar would have become a part of the sand that swallowed Hueco Mundo.

Unexpectedly, Aizen smiled at the news, though it was nearly impossible to tell if it was from delight or merely his usual expression. "Then we shall have to take care of Grimmjow until she is ready to join the ranks of the Espada once more."

"Pardon me, Aizen-sama," Zommari put in, composed even in the midst of the incident. "But who will take care of Grimmjow? Surely Ulquiorra is better suited to battle than looking after a child."

"I have said this before, Zommari," Aizen brought the steaming cup to his lips. "The ryoka boy has yet to make a move, and Soul Society isn't doing anything that would require us to prepare for battle. Ulquiorra is the most suitable guardian for Grimmjow, don't you agree?"

Zommari glanced at the Cuarta, now finishing the remaining tea, and nodded. "Yes, Aizen-sama. Ulquiorra would, indeed, be the best choice for Grimmjow's guardian."

Despite the affirmation, Ulquiorra knew that wasn't so. The choosing of said guardian was merely through an elimination process. He looked at his comrades and tried to picture them with Grimmjow. The Primera was fast asleep. There was no way he could keep his eye on a child. Barragan sat on his chair proudly, acting as if he were still the king of Hueco Mundo. Ulquiorra shook his head. Grimmjow would only become one of his Fraccion.

There was Harribel. Ulquiorra couldn't see why Aizen-sama hadn't chosen her as Grimmjow's guardian. Grimmjow was female now, the Tercera should have been the most likely choice. His eyes were dragged down by some inexplicable force. Oh, he thought, realization seeping into his mind. Never mind.

Nnoitra, Ulquiorra had to suppress a shudder. No one in the three dimensions would allow the Quinta anywhere near a child, much less take care of one. Zommari wouldn't be able to meditate with a child around, and Szayel would be busy finding an antidote. Aaroniero would try to eat her, and Yammy might hurt her. Ulquiorra's thought drifted to the shinigamis.

Tousen-sama's ideals were far too complicated for a child to understand, although Wonderweiss would be a great playmate for Grimmjow. Ichimaru-sama on the other hand, Ulquiorra glanced at the silver-haired man. He didn't know whether the former third squad captain could be trusted with a child, but from what he had seen so far, he doubted it. Las Noches would crumble the day Ichimaru-sama took care of Grimmjow.

There was something he was missing. Ulquiorra concentrated on the fading recognition at the back of his mind. He felt like he was forgetting someone, perhaps even a number of people. But who else would willingly look after Grimmjow after all she had done as the Sexta? A blond head popped into his mind, blossoming into the image of their earlier guest.

"Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra said. This was his last hope of being freed from his current duty. "Why not allow Grimmjow's Fraccion to take care of him?"

Szayel balked at the suggestion. "Leave aniki in charge of a _child_?" the Octava looked absolutely horrified. "Have you seen how he acts?"

"The Sexta does not only have one Fraccion, Szayel Aporro," Ulquiorra reminded him. "If Yylfordt is incapable, then the other four will take over."

"Shawlong, Edorad, and Nakeem are well enough," Aizen agreed. "D-Roy is a bit rough, but he will do what is assigned to him without fail."

"Then I no longer have to take care of Grimmjow?" Ulquiorra questioned.

"No," The mirror of hope shattered, and Ulquiorra found that picking up the shards did nothing but draw his blood.

"May I ask why not, Aizen-sama?" Ulquiorra was one of the only people in Las Noches who could understand Aizen-sama, but now, he could not say he knew what the shinigami was thinking. His idea had sound reasoning, so why was Aizen-sama so resistant to his suggestion?

"Because I already told Grimmjow that you would take care of her," he answered promptly.

Silence.

"Of course, Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra surrendered. Even he knew when he was fighting a losing battle, however rare that occurrence was. "I understand."

"Good," Aizen beckoned Tousen to come over. "Now then, who wants more tea?"

* * *

Yylfordt had sworn allegiance to Grimmjow the day he tore off a part of D-Roy's mask. He had been the most powerful creature they had encountered in the vast desert, and Yylfordt had been sure that if he got close enough to the panther, he would be able to consume him when he had his guard down. That never happened, and as time passed on, Yylfordt found that he could not bear the idea of betraying his king.

But now, he glanced at his side, Grimmjow was no longer his king. His reiatsu had dropped down to his Fraccion's level, though from the fluctuations, Yylfordt could tell that at his lowest, Grimmjow-sama was only as strong as Loly or Menoly, but at his highest, he was strong enough to take on the Noveno Espada. Was this really the man who had singlehandedly made five Hollows follow him like lost puppies?

Baby Grimmjow was clutching his hand, her eyes darting from side to side. Yylfordt followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow. There was nothing there but white walls and a few randomly scattered rooms. It didn't look any different from the ones they had passed through before. He sighed and stared at her inquisitively. He couldn't believe Szayel's drug was actually able to subdue the Sexta Espada.

Although, he thought as he recalled the events of earlier, she still had that impulsive streak that dwelled within the Sexta. Something pulled at his sleeve. Snapping out of his thoughts, the older Granz looked down and met with a pair of large, blue eyes.

"Yylfordt-san," she said, pointing to one of the doors. "What's in there?"

But Yylfordt was no longer listening. Something within him was uncoiling, a temptation he had been fighting since he saw his master's weakened state. He shook his head. No matter what happened, Grimmjow was Grimmjow, and he couldn't do that to his master. Besides, Aizen-sama might do something horrible to him when he found out, and the Quince was not about to risk his neck for an instinct.

He struggled to regain his breath. The sound was ragged and torn, similar to one about to enter death's abode. Calming himself, he inhaled slowly, expelling the breath into a pant before resuming the cycle. He shut his eyes. That was it. He could stand it if he couldn't see. Another tug brought his attention onto the girl.

"Yylfordt-san," she said, a touch of worry in her tone. "Are you okay?"

He snapped.

"Grimmjow-chan is so kawaii!" he exclaimed, picking her up and swinging her around in a hug. Grimmjow looked bewildered by the sudden action, especially when Yylfordt began to nuzzle her hair like a pet. Fortunately, the appearance of four other people saved Grimmjow from Yylfordt's inevitable glomp.

"Why are you being so loud this early in the morning, Yylfordt?" Edorad asked, hiding a yawn behind his hand. At the sight of Yylfordt possessively holding something to his chest, all the while baring his teeth and growling at them until foam came out of his mouth, Edorad said, "Did you find another kitten in the human world? I swear Yylfordt sometimes you are such a…" He shook his head at his fellow Fraccion member's behavior.

"What are you carrying?" Nakeem asked, peering closer. Yylfordt backed away and growled again, putting his hand up like a claw and attempting to scratch D-Roy when he got too close. When he managed to hit the other, Yylfordt snickered and ran to the nearest corner.

"Yylfordt," the stern voice halted him mid-step. Slowly, he turned and looked into Shawlong's eyes. "Come here." With one leg still bent in midair, the older Granz turned and walked over.

"Now show us what you're holding," Defeated, Yylfordt sighed and released Little Grimmjow. Through the entire ordeal, she hadn't made a sound, and when Yylfordt finally let go of her, she hung onto him and looked at the others with uncertainty. Yylfordt wanted to bang his head against the wall. How could he forget that Grimmjow didn't know her Fraccion?

"Ah, Grimmjow-chan," Yylfordt said, his comrades staring at him in disbelief. "These are my friends! The one Ichi—otou-san told you about." Congratulating himself for remembering Aizen's lesson, Yylfordt picked her up and, supporting her with his arm, introduced her to each one.

"This one is Shawlong," he said, pointing to the Chinese man. The Arrancar folded his right arm against his chest and bowed.

"It is nice to meet you, ojou-san," he said. Thankfully, the others seemed to understand the situation, although none of them could truly tell what had happened. Still, when Yylfordt said their names, they bowed and uttered the same response as Shawlong.

"Yylfordt-san," Grimmjow said when he was done. "Why do your friends live here too?"

Yylfordt stilled. Aizen-sama had only prepared relationships with the people in the meeting hall, and he had only gone by Ichimaru-sama's suggestion and told them that Shawlong and the others were his friends. Why would his friends live together with him?

"Otou-san trains them in martial arts!" Yylfordt said, suddenly inspired by his sword. It was a good thing he had honed his excuses after getting caught in his little brother's lab for so many years. Those were the only things that kept from getting stabbed by Fornicaras. And maybe the fact that Grimmjow would annihilate the Octava for messing with his subordinates.

"Gin oji-san is your shishou?" Grimmjow looked at Edorad, awed at the news. The redhead nodded awkwardly.

"Yes," he replied after failing to come up with anything that didn't sound like a complete lie. "Yes, he is."

Yylfordt hoped he remembered to tell Aizen-sama and Ichimaru-sama his excuse. Ichimaru-sama would probably love it, but he didn't know how Aizen-sama would take his independent actions. He groaned as his excuse began to imprint itself onto his mind. He had just subjected the other four Arrancars to a painful end. Ichimaru-sama? Their master in martial arts? He eyed a table by the wall. Maybe no one would notice if he crawled over and bumped his head gently on it. It would defeat the purpose of the exercise, but at least he would be able to let some of his frustration out.

When Shawlong saw what he was staring at, he gave the Quince a glare, and jerked his head sharply in Grimmjow's direction. Yylfordt tried his kicked-puppy look.

"But Shawlong, isn't she adorable?" he thrust Grimmjow in the other's face. Then, much to the other's dismay, Yylfordt did the same to them. "Don't you think so, Edorad? Ne, ne, ne?"

"Damn it, Yylfordt, stop rubbing against me!" Edorad said with a shudder. "It's so creepy!" But the blond wasn't listening.

"Uwah, Grimmjow-chan!" Yylfordt panicked as he remembered something. "We forgot to call Luppi-san! Aiz—oji-san will get mad if we don't get him to the meeting room straight away!"

Hostility circled the air like a snake around its prey, tightening until Yylfordt was sure he was going to suffocate. Perhaps informing them that they were going to Luppi's quarters wasn't the best idea. Grimmjow glanced at Yylfordt, and he forced himself to smile. Luppi was someone no one in the Sexta's Fraccion got along with, especially after receiving countless taunts for nearly dying by the shinigamis' blade. They hated him even more when he dared to insult Grimmjow.

Yylfordt shook his head. He knew Grimmjow-sama could've killed Luppi, even with only one arm, and only stopped himself because he would receive a greater punishment for murdering a member of the Espada. Removing Grimmjow-sama from his position simply because he had lost his arm was not something he agreed with, though he would never tell Aizen-sama this.

"Yylfordt," D-Roy said, eyes hard. "Maybe it would be better if Grimmjow stayed here while you did that."

"That's right, Grimmjow-chan," he told her, another fake smile on his lips. He wasn't sure how many he would have to show her before the day was done. "Luppi-san's room is pretty far, you should stay here and play with my friends, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled. Yylfordt resisted the urge to give her another bear hug. Shawlong just might break his neck.

"I'll see you later then!" A final glance backwards, and he sonido-ed out of the hall.

Luppi's room was isolated from the rest of the Numeros, in the hall where the Privaron Espada stayed. Yylfordt didn't mind the other three members—they usually didn't associate with the other arrancars—but unfortunately, he was here for the fourth. The bitter taste of hate filled his mouth. Luppi didn't deserve to be demoted. He should've suffered the same humiliation Grimmjow-sama had suffered. Yylfordt hands balled at his sides. They shouldn't have let the human heal him.

Upon reaching the right door, he rapped at it curtly and waited for Luppi to answer. A moment later, the door inched open, an eye emerging from the darkness. When it saw who was standing outside, the door opened fully, revealing a smirking Luppi, arms crossed over his chest.

"What brings you here, Yylfordt?" he greeted, mocking tone still intact. "Did Grimmjow die already? Pity, I was planning on doing that myself."

Yylfordt wanted to cero the smirk off his face. "Grimmjow-sama is not dead," he said, uncharacteristically calm. "Aizen-sama wants to see you." Something akin to surprise flickered in Luppi's face, but it was gone before Yylfordt could confirm it.

"You see, Yylfordt? Even Aizen-sama knows that I'm better than Grimmjow," Yylfordt's blood was beginning to boil. "Soon your precious Grimmjow-sama would be out of the Espada for good. Better start looking for another master to serve." His laughter echoed in the empty halls.

"Grimmjow-sama would never lose to someone like you!" Yylfordt exploded, a slight blush dampening his cheeks. "People can't even tell if you're male or female! You are asexual! Grimmjow-sama will never lose to a mushroom trying to pass for an Arrancar!"

A vein throbbed in Luppi's forehead. "What did you say, you little—"

Yylfordt began to sweat. He might hate Luppi, but he the other was still stronger than him. Maybe calling him asexual and a mushroom wasn't the best idea. "Aizen-sama is waiting for you," he said, averting his opponent's attention elsewhere.

"I'll remember that, Yylfordt," he snarled. "You have no right to talk to me that way. You'll never have the right to talk to me that way."

"You never had the right to burn off Grimmjow-sama's tattoo," Yylfordt said, eyes burning with hate. "That didn't stop you, did it?"

The older Granz walked away, leaving a seething Luppi in his wake.

* * *

"I will require you to refer to me as 'oji-san' when Grimmjow-chan is around," Aizen told his army. His chocolate eyes fell on the Cuarta. "Except for you, Ulquiorra. You will call me 'chichi-ue', as she does."

"Barragan will call me by my given name," The Segunda nodded begrudgingly. "As will you two," he told Gin and Tousen.

"What about aniki, Aizen-sama?" Szayel asked. "What if he had forgotten?"

"I'm sure Yylfordt has figured it out, Szayel,"Aizen replied. He looked at the others. "Is that understood?"

"Yes, Aizen-sama," they chorused. Ulquiorra couldn't believe Aizen-sama would go this far to fool Grimmjow. Aizen-sama's plan was beginning to become clear to Ulquiorra, and the emerald-eyed Espada was willing to go through this if it meant fulfilling Aizen-sama's wishes.

The door opened, everyone in the room staring at the intruder. Upon seeing the familiar face, everyone went back to listening to Aizen. Ulquiorra could've sworn he saw Luppi's eye twitch. Still, the former Sexta strode to the table and bowed before Aizen.

"You wished to see me, Aizen-sama?" Aizen smiled at him.

"Yes, Luppi," he glanced at the others around the table. "How would you like to resume your rank as the Sexta Espada?"

Ulquiorra didn't miss the flicker of triumph pass through Luppi's eyes. "I would love to, Aizen-sama," He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and asked, "May I know what happened to Grimmjow, Aizen-sama?"

"Grimmjow-chan was turned into a little girl!" Gin said, tilting his head. "Didn't Yylfordt tell you?"

Ichimaru-sama was aware of the nearly murderous relationship between Luppi and Grimmjow, Ulquiorra knew. He was sure the silver-haired man did nothing but watch the monitors for something to happen in Las Noches, and missing something like that would be impossible, especially after Luppi used a cero to remove the six on Grimmjow's back.

"No," the new Sexta replied stiffly. "He didn't. Thank you for informing me."

"The meeting is over," Aizen announced, waving his hand in dismissal. "You may go back to your rooms." Chairs scraped against the floor as the Espada stood up and filed out of the room. Ulquiorra was about to follow them when Aizen-sama called him.

"Come here for a moment," He obeyed, stopping before the throne and bowing his head.

"Make sure no harm will come to Grimmjow, Ulquiorra," Aizen said. "Protect her as an older brother would."

"Of course, Aizen-sama," Ulquiorra bowed once again, this time in farewell. Aizen held up his hand.

"There is one more thing I wish to discuss with you," Aizen looked at the ceiling. The light was scattered now, nothing more than a shameful imitation of the starry night sky. Perhaps Aizen-sama was more attached to Soul Society than he realized. "The human girl."

"You are assigned to look after her," Aizen tore his eyes away from the ceiling. "No one but yourself may be allowed to enter her prison, until you or I gave them permission to do so. If anybody should disobey, you are free to punish them as you see fit."

"Yes, Aizen-sama," As Ulquiorra walked away, he wondered how he had gone from being the Cuarta Espada to babysitter in a matter of minutes.

* * *

**A/N:** Sorry for the late chapter! Senior year's been kicking my butt (my school doesn't start classes in September). Anyway, I hope you guys like this! Thank you to everyone who found time to read my story. (By the way, did you guys see the spoiler I put up there? If you don't read the manga, I really hope not, or else you'd hate me forever.) Here are some of the words on here (I know nearly, if not all, of you already know these, but there might be someone who doesn't):

Kawaii- cute

Ojou-san- Miss


	4. The Real Sexta

**Chapter Four**

Grimmjow was pissed. No, he was more than that, he was blind with rage, calling out to his fellow Arrancars and firing ceros at random. He cursed, allowing the all-too-familiar words leave his mouth in an endless cycle, then starting over again when he realized it did nothing to solve his problem. It wasn't even enough to calm the insatiable anger that crashed into him in waves.

His arm smoked from the latest cero, the bright streak of red disappearing into the confines of his prison. His patience had been spent hours ago, and now all he wanted to do was murder somebody. It didn't even matter who it was, all the Sexta wanted was the feel of blood on his hands, the smell of iron as it numbed his senses. Growling, he looked around him again, searching for the hidden door that contained him.

All around him was white, endless and decadent, with nothing to indicate that life had ever existed in the place. He could see no edges, the floor, ceiling and wall, melding into each other like alloy and warping his perception of space. He had run for hours, following his ceros and seeing them lose their energy in clouds of smoke. After that, he had attempted to get back to his starting point, only to realize that not only couldn't he tell if he had moved at all, but his sense of direction had also been dulled by the labyrinth of white.

It was worse than Las Noches.

Reiatsu close to breaking, he contented himself by lying down, unsure if he was on the floor or floating. He gazed at the blank sky above him, charging a tiny cero to award it with a single star, watching as it grew smaller and smaller, until it became a part of the horizon. Energy gone, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

He didn't know how long he had been napping, nor how he retrieved his reiatsu so quickly, but when a voice other than his own rang in his ears, he shot up, frantically turning in every direction. He would know that voice anywhere. At any other time, Grimmjow would have snarled and torture him in training for waking him, but now, he was relieved to know he wasn't the only person in there.

"Grimmjow-sama!"

That was definitely Yylfordt, but he wasn't anywhere in sight. Grimmjow got up and ran around, expecting to see the long blond hair of his Fraccion. His sonido carried him to the farthest area he could see, and his eyes watched out for the slightest movement, but somehow, the older Granz managed to elude him.

"Yylfordt!" he screamed, hoping his call could reach where his body could not. "Where are you?!" There was no response, not even an echo to prove he had said anything at all.

The Sexta would not be deterred. "Yylfordt! Tell me where you are or I'm going to kick your ass all the way to Soul Society, then bring you back to feed you to Aaroniero!"

Again and again he screamed, his threats growing more grotesque as his Fraccion ignored each one. His throat became raw from screaming, and he couldn't get his voice to come out no matter how much he wanted to. Assuming his previous manner of investigation, he ran around, stopping when he realized it was futile.

A handful of voices mingled with Yylfordt's own. Grimmjow strained his ears to hear their conversation, but he could only pick out the identity of the speakers, not the words themselves. Aizen… Ichimaru… Nnoitra and Harribel… Szayel. A growl scratched at his throat. If anyone of them was responsible for this, he was going to kill them, no matter if their rank was higher than his.

Suddenly, a jagged picture came into view, and he saw that he was in the meeting room in Las Noches. He shook his head. His surroundings hadn't changed—everything was still white. There was no way he was in the meeting room. But it was still there, and he could even feel the halt in the conversation. Grimmjow closed his eyes—and found that the scene was playing in his mind.

His eyes flew open again, leaving him torn between the white field and the outside world. He didn't care. He would rather see this moment diluted by the area around him than watch it in full effect. The shinigamis and the Espada were all there, except for him and with the addition of Yylfordt. It stopped on Aizen, and Grimmjow once again growled at having to look at his deceptive face.

"Where am I?" a soft voice inquired. Confusion filled Grimmjow. It was coming from him. How was that possible? The voice he heard wasn't his, and the mild tone was definitely not something he used, yet he was certain he had spoken.

"You're in Las Noches," Aizen responded, that fake kindness rolling off him in abundance, disgusting Grimmjow. Then again, everything Aizen did made him hate the shinigami. The only good thing Aizen had ever done was creating the Arrancars, and even that had its bad points. He had created Luppi. And Nnoitra.

"Do you know your name, little one?" Aizen asked. He—or whoever it was—moved closer to the shinigami, and Aizen took this chance to start stroking his hair. Grimmjow tried to pull back, but found that he had no control over this body. He felt his head bob.

"Grimmjow Jaegerjacquez," His blood boiled. No one, not even Aizen or any of the higher-ranking Espada, had ever made the mistake of using his name. He would make sure this person learned their lesson. "Who are you?"

Grimmjow wanted to scream again, if only his throat had recovered from earlier. No one was doing anything. No one was saying anything. Had they all forgotten _he_ was Grimmjow Jaegerjacquez? The shinigamis weren't much better. Ichimaru was just stading there grinning, Tousen was non-responsive, and worst of all, Aizen was smiling. Grimmjow gritted his teeth. That bastard and everyone in that room were going on his hit list.

"My name is Aizen Sousuke," Aizen gave the most genuine smile he had ever seen on the shinigami. Somehow, it disconcerted him more than his usual expression. "I am your chichi-ue."

Perhaps a cero to the head would erase that from memory.

* * *

The human's room was somewhere on the west side of Las Noches, facing the ever-present moon. Ulquiorra had only been to the tower once, when Aizen-sama had ordered him to look for Loly and Menoly. It housed only Numeros, the Fraccion claiming a different wing of the palace, and most of them did the miscellaneous tasks around Las Noches. It was always filled with noise.

Since the woman came, however, the chatter had toned down considerably, the Arrancars preferring to whisper when they near her holding cell. Ulquiorra noted the alert eyes and ears of the Numeros as they bowed to him in greeting, mumbling good mornings and pleasant days. Ulquiorra nodded in response. He stopped before the heavy steel door, releasing the lock with a swift flick of his hand and stepping inside.

The woman had been watching the crescent moon, but turned around when she heard his entrance. She didn't look very surprised when she saw him, especially after meeting him twice before. His emerald eyes bored into hers, continuing even after she had averted her own grey ones. He regarded the food on the cart, pushed onto a wall in the room. Within the shadows it was nearly imperceptible, had the moonlight not streamed through the barred window to expose its right flank.

"Have you not eaten yet, onna?" he asked, still in the same monotonous voice. She glanced up, then returned her gaze to the rug on the floor. When it was clear she wouldn't answer, Ulquiorra moved closer, the light reflecting off his equally pale skin.

"I don't want it," she said. Her eyes lifted and stared back at him with a defiance he hadn't expected of her. Still, if stubbornness was all she had, she would be easy to restrain.

"It is one of your duties to stay alive, onna," Ulquiorra said. "I shall not allow you to defy Aizen-sama's wishes."

"I don't want it," she repeated, clenching her hands beside her. Ulquiorra wheeled the cart closer, pushing it in front of her. Orihime looked away.

"I will not leave this room until you have eaten, onna," His reiatsu grew colder, as did his next words. "If you do not do so willingly, I shall force it down your throat."

For the first time since he brought her to Hueco Mundo, Ulquiorra saw the fear in her eyes.

* * *

Grimmjow was lost. Not only couldn't she find Yylfordt's friends, she had wandered too far from where they had been playing. Everywhere she went looked the same, white walls, with a few splotches of color here and there. Whenever she moved from her place, she felt like she kept coming back to the same location. Crossing her arms, she sat on the ground as she looked at the eight different doors that branched from where she was.

Maybe if she stayed there long enough, one of them would find her and bring her back. Panic was beginning to settle in her chest, but she quelled it and began humming a tune. Maybe even her onii-chan would find her! Her mood brightened at the thought. Surely her chichi-ue had already ended the meeting. She didn't notice the approaching footsteps until a pair of hands rested on her shoulder.

Gin was smiling at her, one hand hidden behind his back. She stretched her neck to see what he was holding, but he immediately shifted it away from her line of view. From the glimpse she got, it was something white and soft-looking.

"Hey Grimm-chan," he greeted her. "What are ya doin' here all by yerself?"

"I was playing with Yylfordt-san's friends and got lost," she explained, still trying to get a good look at what he was holding. Gin once again hid it from sight, his grin growing larger. A small pout made its way on her lips.

"I see," He appeared to think for a moment. "That's alrigh'. I have t' talk t' Yylfordt-chan anyway."

"Oh!" Finally, he pulled whatever he was holding out, presenting it to Grimmjow with both hands. "I went t' the human world and gotcha this!" Grimmjow couldn't help but let out a happy laugh. The white bear Gin had been holding was bigger than she was, with fluffy white fur and a deep blue ribbon around its neck. On its face was the most peaceful smile, and she couldn't help but return it.

"Arigatou, oji-san!" she said, wrapping her arms around his knees before doing the same to the bear. Suddenly, noise filled the tiny room they were in, coming from one of the hallways that extended from it.

"I can't believe you guys lost her!" said someone who sounded like Yylfordt. "I was gone for a few minutes and I find out that you lost Grimmjow-sama!"

"It's not my fault," Edorad interjected, a bit frustrated. "D-Roy was supposed to watch her."

"You were all supposed to watch her!" Yylfordt exploded. "Let's just hope we find her before Ulquiorra-sama does or we're all dead."

"Grimm-chan," Gin whispered, lifting both her and the bear in a hug. "We better get you to Ulquiorra-chan and have him look after you for now, ne?"

"But Yylfordt-san—!" Her argument was lost in Gin's shunpo.

It was short journey to the place where the human girl was kept, and Gin didn't bother alerting Ulquiorra of their presence, instead dropping Grimmjow off in front of the door and waving goodbye, disappearing in another flash of shunpo. Grimmjow stared up at the imposing door and hugged the bear closer to her. Perhaps asking Gin oji-san to take her to her onii-chan hadn't been such a great idea.

Ulquiorra came out a moment later, stopping mid-step when he saw what Grimmjow was holding. His eyes swept the entirety of the corridor. There were no other traces of reiatsu. The only person who would do something like this was Ichimaru-sama. He could already see the shinigami grinning in the surveillance room, wondering what he would do.

"Grimmjow," he said. "Why are you here?"

The girl buried her face in her bear's fur as she said, "I wanted to see you, onii-chan," Worry was evident in her voice. "Wasn't I supposed to come here?"

"No, Grimmjow," Ulquiorra said. "You are not allowed to come here. This area is restricted to everyone but me, understand?" She nodded, but something else caught her attention as she peered into the darkness beyond the door. Ulquiorra shut the door before she could see anymore.

"Onii-chan, what's in there?" she asked.

"Nothing," Ulquiorra said, stepping beside Grimmjow and waiting for her to adjust her grip on the bear. "There is nothing there."

"Ulquiorra-sama!" Yylfordt ran in, followed by the other four harassed-looking members of Grimmjow's former Fraccion. Seeing his master with the Cuarta, the blond slowed to a walk, clearing his throat as if it would erase what she had seen just a moment ago. The others strode behind him in a wall, bowing their heads when they were before the pale-skinned Espada.

"May I speak with you for a moment, Ulquiorra-sama?" Yylfordt requested. "The others will take care of Grimmjow while we are gone." Even Ulquiorra's blank façade gave away his incredulity. Yylfordt placed his hands in front of his face and moved them from side to side.

"No, no, Ulquiorra-sama, I promise they won't lose her this time," With a look to the others that clearly said, 'Don't screw up!' Yylfordt led Ulquiorra into a quieter corner, just off the arm of the hall they came from.

"Is there a problem, Yylfordt?" Ulquiorra said once they were far enough.

"Well," Yylfordt scratched the back of his head, a sheepish smile on his face. "I met Ichimaru-sama earlier, and he wanted me to tell you that Aizen-sama has given Luppi Grimmjow-sama's room."

Ulquiorra didn't miss the lack of respect at the mention of the reinstated Sexta's name, but chose not to comment on it. "Didn't Aizen-sama instruct you to take Grimmjow to her room when you were in the meeting room?"

Yylfordt nodded. "But Aizen-sama thought that separating Luppi from the rest of the Espada was inconvenient and asked Ichimaru-sama to inform me that Grimmjow-sama will be moved into a new room."

"Where shall she be relocated?" he asked, though the heavy feeling at the pit of his stomach could already predict the Quince's next words.

"In yours, Ulquiorra-sama," Yylfordt checked if Ulquiorra hadn't been paralyzed in shock, and pretended to look at an interesting spot on the ceiling when the Cuarta looked at him. All Ulquiorra wanted was for his bedroom to stay intact, whatever the changes Aizen-sama had made to it.

"Of course," Ulquiorra turned away from the blond Arrancar, rounding the corner to fetch Grimmjow. She was keeping her Fraccion busy by introducing each of them to 'Kuma-san', requiring each of them to shake the bear's hand after saying their names. Face red with embarrassment, Edorad told the kuma his name and number, capping his introduction with a sharp shake of hands. He glared at D-Roy as a few of his snickers reached his ears.

"Grimmjow, come," Waving goodbye, Grimmjow hauled the bear away and joined the Cuarta.

* * *

Ulquiorra inspected his room warily, the door clicking softly behind him. Surely Aizen-sama had made _some_ changes, he just couldn't place where they were. His bed still slept soundly in the middle of his room, the emerald green blankets neatly made and tucked at its sides. Off the left was his closet, as well as a door that led to the bathroom. A few chairs and a desk were pushed along the opposite wall.

Then, he saw it. An unobtrusive outline of a door camouflaged within the wall. Beckoning Grimmjow over, he pushed it and met the underwater world. Fishes of different sizes and colours swam in the cerulean sea, some riding on the azure undertones. A purple octopus rested languidly on a nearby rock, obscured from view by tendrils of seaweeds. Ulquiorra couldn't speak. Only Aizen-sama could make something like this in the short period of time he was allotted.

Grimmjow was looking at her new room in wonder, running as fast as she can with Kuma-san in tow to the bed, jumping on the mattress and flailing her arms when it bounced her back up. The electric blue sheets spluttered beneath her weight and trailed down the floor, dragging a good portion of the pillows and blankets with them. Ulquiorra wasted no time in picking her up before she could lay more ruin to the room.

"Let us see if there something for you to do," Ulquiorra said as he led her out of the main door of his room, only to see Gin blocking their way.

"Is there something wrong, oji-san?" Ulquiorra asked. Gin cocked his head to one side, grin growing larger.

"Where are ya goin', Ulqui-chan?" he asked. Gesturing at a nearby window, he pointed at the moon and clasped his hands behind him. "It's nighttime. Ya should go t' sleep."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, oji-san," Ulquiorra replied, inwardly wondering why the dome already revealed the natural state of Hueco Mundo when everybody hadn't even been awake for more than three hours.

Gin faced the window. "Since Grimm-chan can't remember anythin', Aizen-sama wanted her t' rest before ya show her aroun' Las Noches."

"Shall I take her to see chichi-ue afterwards?" A warmth on his side revealed Grimmjow had gripped his hand. The contact burned his cold skin, thawing his hand to a temperature more appropriate for humans.

"No, no, tha's alright," Gin said with a dismissive wave. "He's busy righ' now." Seeing the child's crestfallen expression, he immediately amended his words. "Don't worry, Grimm-chan, I'm sure he'll want t' see ya when he's done."

"Now," he said, fixing his clothes. "I'll see ya tomorrow. Take care of Grimm-chan, Ulqui-chan!" The former Third Division captain left without another glance backwards.

"Grimmjow," The girl obeyed him without complaint, shutting the door with a soft click when she entered. She had to run to keep up with her onii-chan, though she only smiled at him when he held the door to her room open. Once she had settled inside the covers, Ulquiorra shut the light, bidding her an empty goodnight and closing the door.

Ulquiorra slipped into the warm duvet of his own bed and sighed, placing a hand over his eyes. The human girl he could handle—her rebellious acts were akin to Nnoitra and Grimmjow's nature—but the child was completely different. From the Octava's explanation, it was possible that the child's attitude would be completely volatile, and he had no way of predicting it like when she was still her former self. He only had to think of the most dangerous and violent course of action and the Sexta would take it.

Ulquiorra stiffened when something rustled beside him. He felt his muscles slacken when he noticed it was only Grimmjow and Kuma-san climbing into bed next to him. That was strange. She had her own room and her own bed. There was no reason for her to stay in there with him.

"Grimmjow, why are you here?" A pair of blue eyes stared back at him. She clutched Kuma-san closer to her and hid behind his head.

"I'm scared, onii-chan," She stared at the blankets, the same shade as Ulquiorra's eyes. "Can I stay here with you?"

Ulquiorra knew he couldn't refuse. Aizen-sama had instructed him to act as an older brother might, and he couldn't disobey Aizen-sama's orders. His privacy could be sacrificed for Aizen-sama's plans. "Of course, Grimmjow," he said. He turned his back to her, feeling his bed shift slightly with the added weight.

"Oyasumi nasai, onii-chan," she said. After a while, he could hear her steady breathing. Closing his eyes, Ulquiorra felt his senses leave him as sleep took over.

* * *

Grimmjow's hit list was now composed of the shinigamis, the Espada, and his Fraccion, specifically, Yylfordt. From what he had seen earlier this other Grimmjow was a child, most of what he saw revolving around the white hakama of the Arrancars' uniform. Grimmjow snarled. He would kill every single of them when he got out, and he wasn't planning on ending their misery quickly.

He turned around—and saw a bear smiling at him. His eyebrow twitched. Wasn't that that thing Ichimaru said he had gotten from the human world? In any case he would keep it, if only because the only sliver of control he had slipped away when he was alone. The eternal field was giving him claustrophobia, and if there was anything Grimmjow hated the most in the world, it was being suppressed.

It was night again outside. He didn't even know if time was relevant in that place. Dragging the bear behind him, he sat in what he presumed to be a corner and lied down, using it as a pillow. If he could sleep this entire nightmare away and wake up in his own room, not the one full of fish that just made him hungry, he would be the happiest person in Aizen'sa army.

He shot up, glancing around as another reiatsu disrupted his sleep. His eyes landed on a girl a few feet away from him, her curious eyes reflecting his irritation. He strode over and stared her down, as he had done to the Numeros an infinite number of times.

"Who the fuck are you?" he asked. Something was familiar about this girl's reiatsu. He had felt it before, he was sure of it. But, no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't remember where.

"I'm Grimmjow Jaegerjacquez," she inclined her head as she stared at him. "Who are you?"

A sadistic grin tugged at Grimmjow's lips. This kid was dead.

* * *

**A/N:** Apparently, Szayel screwed up more than he thought XD As for the underwater world and the bear… I… I don't know. They just came out of nowhere. I hoped you guys liked this chapter! Thanks for reading!

Kuma-san- Mr. Bear

Oyasumi nasai- Goodnight


End file.
